The first couple joined guests hours before their holiday travels to participate in an annual White House tradition

The turkeys were among several pardons this month: Trump also pardoned Joseph Schwartz, a nursing home tycoon convicted of fraud, after the man paid nearly $1 million to lobbyists who appealed to the Trump administration on his behalf, The Washington Post reported this weekend.

Trump followed up his statement with praise for Vought and pointed out that critics call him Darth Vader: "They call him Darth Vader. I call him a fine man. But he's cutting Democrat priorities and they're never going to get them back.

Traditionally jovial event that included JD Vance's kids also took dark turn as Trump vented about woman set ablaze on Chicago subway